This invention relates in general to high volume strainers, and particularly to high volume low level strainers. More particularly, this invention relates to a high volume low level strainer for use in fire service while drafting or transferring a water or liquid from a water supply to a fire pump.
One of the most efficient means to provide water to a fire in non-hydrant areas of the country is by bringing the water supply in by tanker truck. Such a truck is often referred to as a tanker. To assure sufficient water supply a tanker will deposit water to a water supply at the fire. This process is referred to as tanker or tender. The tanker is then free to leave the fire to acquire more water. Furthermore, multiple water supplies may be used in order to have water available in the event a tanker has not returned with another load of water.
The water in the water supply is transferred to the fire by drawing the water in a process often referred to as drafting. Drafting or pulling water from a water supply is a common practice by Fire Departments in non-hydrant areas of the country. The water is often pulled from the water supply, such as a portable tank, by a truck with a fire pump. Such a truck is often referred to as a pumper. The pumper is then used to apply the water to the fire.
Often water sources, such as a portable tank, contain debris. Most pumpers cannot process this debris since they use a centrifugal close tolerance pump. To keep the debris from entering the pumper, strainers are used. Strainers are common when drafting water from a water supply. Current strainers are known to include solid pans positioned at their base. These pans limit the volume of water being drafted. Furthermore, strainers of this kind are known to levitate in the water supply when drafting. This allows air to be drafted causing the pumper to cavitate and lose prime. These problems increase when the flow of the water is increased, especially at rates over 900 gallons per minute. In view of these and other deficiencies, a strainer is needed to draft increased volumes of water at increased flow rates, up to or above 1650 gallons per minute.